At the conclusion of the 2013-14 school year, the total number of ATs employed by Dallas Independent School District -- ranked 15th largest in the U.S. by enrollment, and the second largest in the state of Texas -- could be counted on two hands. But with high school football practices and two-a-days resuming on campuses all over North Texas this week, the district's decision to designate a certified athletic trainer for every DISD high school arrived just in time.
The news came shortly after another announcing DISD's newly hired Athletic Director Gil Garza, who spent 12 years as the AD at San Antonio Independent School District before he officially begins his Dallas role next Monday. With a beefed-up fleet 22 athletic trainers, the school district aims to offer hands-on care and medical coverage for practices in addition to games, as well as for athletes outside the realm of football. It's a win-win for athletic departments, Dallas ISD and ATs from other regions working toward setting a similar standard; but more importantly, the announcement means emergency care and injury prevention for thousands of student-athletes, as well as a renewed peace of mind for worrisome parents on the sidelines.
Dallas-Fort Worth's local NBC affiliate interviewed ATs Amy Perez and Josh Ragsdale of W.H. Adamson High School about the announcement, available to view here.
Check out the video below, which offers a closer look at how ATs are helping student-athletes keep cool and handle the heat during those infamous Texas two-a-days.
Posted by NATA News Managing Editor Jaimie Siegle (jaimies@nata.org)
